Conveyer



W. F. HALL ooNvEYER Filed May 17. 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. WfJ/ f/F. HAL/ June 7 1927.

W. F. HALL June 7, 1927.

ooNvEYR Filed may 17. 192e 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 I N VEN TOR@ 03 /APToRNE/s.

WfJLfy E HALL BY k FAVV@ mw mw 'June 7,1927. I 1,631,124

W. F. HALL CONVEYER Filed May 17. 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 IN V EN TOR.

wm/E55 l/l/fJLEr/-THALL whic Patented June 7, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WESLEY .'F. HALL, 0F MATAWAN, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR T0 THE HANSON & VAN WINKLE COMPANY, F NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATIONOF NEW JERSEY.

i CONVEYER.

apuoauon med my 17,

This invention relates to conveyers for electroplating or dipping machines of that cla where articles are conveyed through tanks rst along one side and t en returned along the other side, and more particularly to that sub-class in which rovision is made or keeping the articles rom colliding as they are carried around the end of the tank. In general, the articles which may, for example, take the form of baskets-adaptedy to carry in' bulk articles to be plated or dipped, follow each other along the sides of' the tank r, too closely to permit of theirinaking the Y narrow turn at the end of the tank without interference. It becomes necessary, therefore, to provide some means for increasing Vhe distance between them as they make the turnl r' lhe ob'ect of the resent invention isv to accomplis this sprea ing out of the articles at the turn by novel and improved mechamsm.

f The invention comprises the combination with the usual Vlongitudinal conveyers of separate turning conveyers geared to run at such an increased speed compared with the side conveyers as to give the necessar increase in distance between articles suspended from the conveyor as they make the end turn.- The inyention further comprises certain other novel mechanical combinations more particularly described below and pointed out in the claims. v

In the accompanying drawing-1 Figure -1 is a planview of the conveying apparatus Figure 2 is a Avertical longitudinal section on line 2-2 of Figure 1 Figure 3 is a section online 3-3 of Figure 2, through the pivot of one 'of -thesprocket chain links;

' Figure 3 is a longitudinal section through the sprocket chain at right angles 45. to Figure 3;

Fi re 4 is-a lan view of the blank from uthe sproc et chain links are made; Figure 5 is a perspective view of the link after its first folding operation;

Figure 6 is a section on line 6-6 of Fig-- ure 2;

Figure 7 is a section on line I7---7 of Figure 2; l,

1926. Serial No. 109,721.

2.` These frames have side members extending down into the tank, to which side members articles to be plated or baskets containmg articles to be plated may be attached. The two side members are united by a cross member 3 at the top, which bridges the cath# ode rails 1 and rides thereon. The side members of the frame are inclined inwardly at the top, as shown at 4, to aid in keeping them centrally placed on the cathode rails.

1. To push the cathode supporting frames 2 alongpthe rails, I make use of three separate propelling means. Along the side of thetanks the means consist of sprocket chains 5 driven orcarried 'by vpulleys or sprocket wheels 6, mounted on shaft 7, journalled in longitudinal frames 8, as shown 1n Figure 6. The frames 8 are united by a longitudinal I-beam 9, sov that the rames 1 and I-beam 9.make a rigid structure which is .properly supported in any desired manner frpm below. I prefer to make the frames W1th interior flanges 10, which will form an oil drip so thatall oil falling from the.

chains, sprocket wheels or journals, will be collected in the I-beam as a trough and prevent it from\ falling into the tanks. Shaft 7 not only carriesthe sprocket Wheels 6 but wheels 11, one on each'side of the sprocket wheel 6 and upon sprocket wheels 11 are `also carries and drives pulleys or sprocket mounted sprocket chains 12. These latter v `sprocket, chains engage at their other end with pulleys or sprocket wheels 13 mounted on shaft 14A also journalled in the side frames, the wheels 13 being of smaller diameter than the wheels N11 so that the shaft i 14 will travel at a greater rate of speed/than the shaft 7. Upon the center ofthe shaft 14 are mounted a pair of pulley'sor sprocket Wheels 15 carrying a chain 16. The sprocket wheels 15 are larger in diameter than end portions of the tracks 1. For this purpose it is made double-jointed, for it not .only has to pass in a vertical curve around the sprocket wheels, but also in a horizontal curve around the track. I prefer to make the chain as shown in Figures 3 to 5. A blank of sheet metal is first stamped out in the shape shown in Figure 4. This is then bent around a median line until the central ears 17 are formed into a cylindrical shape, as shown in Figure 5. The ears 18 are then folded over at right angles to the main link members 20, the said ears being for the purpose of carrying pusher pins 21. rlhe cylindrical parts 17` are made long enough to pass through the rollers 22 (see Figure 3) and the ends of the cylindrical portions 17 are then folded over or expanded, as shown in Figure 3, to retain the rollers in place.

It is to be understood that only certain ones of the links have the ears 18 and the pusher pins 21, the intermediate links beingplain. The rollers 22 form a means of supporting land guidin the chain both horizontally and vertically see Figures 8 and 9) in channel members 23, which are made coextensive with the curved part of the track and are supported by frames 8 at their ends. The intermediate portions of the members 23 are rigidl held together by bridge pieces 24 (see igure 9). The uppe members 23 are fastened to the conducting cathode rails 1 by intermediate insulation 25 and bolts 26. The longitudinal side chains 5 haveat fixed distances projecting lugs 27 which extend up a suliicient distance to engage behind the cross bar 3 of the cathode support to push the same along on the rails 1. When it has been so pushed as far as the chains 5 can move it, other lugs 28 properly spaced apart on the intermediate following chains 12 propel the cathode support av further distance along the rail and deliver it within range of pins 21 on the universal chain. From here on the pins 21 propel the cathode supports around the curved end of the track to deliver them in turn to the intermediate chain 12 on the other side of the tank.

lThe primary means for driving the longitudinal conveyers are not shown, and may be of any usual or preferred construction. Various changes can be made in'the mechanism shown without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. For example, in some cases only one of the rails 1 maybe electrically connected to operate as a cathode.

From the above description it will be seen that as the cathode carriers move from the 5 side conveyers to the intermediate conveyers,

they are pushed along at a greater speed n acarrea with the result that the distance `between them is increased and that when the carin this instance being such that the move- ,Y

ment is slowed down and, the carriers again brought near together so as to `economize space. The intermediate conveyers, may be dispensed with and the transfer made direct from the longitudinal conveyers to the `curved end conveyers.

I claim 1. In a conveyer of the class described, the combination comprising straight longitudinal conveyers, propelling means therefor, curved end conveyers, and propelling means therefor, the latter adapted to drive the end conveyers at a greater speed than the longitudinal conveyers.

2. In a conveyer of the class described, the combination comprising straight longitudinal conveyers, and curved end conveyers, the

latter geared to the former so that the end .l

conveyers will travel at a greaterspeed than the longitudinal conveyer 3. In a conveyer of the class described, the combination comprising side conveyers, rotary driving means for said conveyers, end conveyers flexible in two planes, rotary driving means for said end conveyers, and connecting mechanism whereby the peripheral speed of the means driving the end`conveyers will be greater thanthe peripheral speed of the means .driving the side conveyers.

4. Inda conveyer of the class described, the

combination comprising straight longitudinal conveyers, end conveyers, the latter geared to the former so that the end conveyers will travel at a greater speed than the longitudinal conveyers, and curved guides for said end conveyers.

5. In a conveyer of the classv described, the combination comprising strai ht longitudinal conveyers, end conveyers exible in two planes, the latter geared to the former so that the end conveyers will travel at a greater speed than the longitudinal conveyers, and` curved guides for said end conveyers having vertical. and horizontal guidling surfaces.

6. In a conveyer of the class described, the combination comprising side conveyers, rotary driving means for said conveyers, end conveyers iiexible-in two planes, rotary driving means for said end conveyers, connecting mechanism whereby the peripheral speed of the combination of carrying rails having the means driving the end conveyers will be straight and curved portions, work carriers 10 greater than the peripherall speed of the straddling and carried by said rails, and means driving the side conveyers, and intermeans for propelling the work carriers at mediate conveyers connecting the side and one rate of speed along `the straight portion end conveyers and adapted to travel at an` of the rails and at an increased rate of intermediate speed. speed along the curved portion thereof.

7. In a conveyer of the class described, WESLEY F. HALL. 

